[Clinical characteristics of pneumonia in the oldest old patients].
OBJECTIVE
The incidence and mortality rates of pneumonia are far higher in the elderly, especially. There are few report which investigate pneumonia only in the oldest old.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective study of 34 patients over age 80 who were admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia over a period of 24 months.


RESULTS
The patients' mean age was 87.1 years. Of these, 19 were men (55.9%) and 15 were women (44.1%). Upon admission, the most common symptom was anorexia (87.5%). In the elderly patients, nervous system diseases, such as cerebrovascular disease and dementia, were the most common underlying diseases. The crude mortality rate was 14.7%, and the mean duration of hospitalization 33.7 days. In laboratory findings, serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels were high, and percutaneous oxygen saturation level was low. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was the most common causative pathogen. The patients were treated equally with carbapenems (44.1%) and penicillins (44.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
Pneumonia may be associated with reduced respiratory symptom, raising the possibility that its diagnosis may be delayed, resulting in a severe condition in the oldest old patients. We must select the most appropriate treatment according to age because pneumonia in extremely elderly patients have many aspects different from young cases.
Nakamura
Shigeki
S
National Hospital Organization Uresino Medical Hospital.
Yanagihara
Katsunori
K
Mihara
Tomo
T
Izumikawa
Koichi
K
Seki
Masafumi
M
Kakeya
Hiroshi
H
Yamamoto
Yoshihiro
Y
Soejima
Yoshifumi
Y
Tashiro
Takayoshi
T
Kohno
Shigeru
S
D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000855:Anorexia; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D003704:Dementia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification
D015780:Carbapenems; D010406:Penicillins